Sponsors (5)
The bill expands standardized, machine‑readable consumer access to energy usage and empowers states and third‑party innovators—improving transparency, competition, and efficiency—at the cost of raising privacy/cybersecurity risks and imposing compliance and implementation burdens (especially on smaller and rural utilities) that may raise consumer bills or create legal and governance frictions.
Residential and commercial electricity and gas customers gain easier access to granular, machine‑readable usage and price data, enabling better bill management, price comparison, and energy-saving choices.
State energy offices and the DOE receive clearer statutory definitions and federal support to implement consumer energy data access programs, reducing legal ambiguity and helping states scale energy‑management services.
Third‑party app developers and energy service providers get clearer standards and more reliable access to customer‑authorized data, spurring competition and new energy‑management products and services.
Households and small businesses face increased privacy and cybersecurity risks because broader definitions and expanded access expose customer‑specific retail data (names, addresses, contact, interval usage) to more parties.
Utilities, platform operators, and ultimately ratepayers may incur substantial compliance, meter/software upgrade, and reporting costs required by the new definitions and standards, which could be passed through on bills.
Smaller and rural utilities may face disproportionate financial and technical burdens to implement the standards, delaying or limiting benefits for rural communities.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires state energy plans to promote consumer access to retail electric and natural gas usage and cost data and directs DOE and FERC to issue model data-sharing standards within 180 days.
Official title: To promote competition in the area of digital energy management tools, enhance consumer access to electric energy and natural gas information, allow for the development and adoption of innovative products and services to help consumers, organizations, and governments manage their energy usage and improve electric grid reliability, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 26, 2026 by Kevin Mullin · Last progress February 26, 2026
Requires state energy plans to include programs that promote competition among digital energy management tools and improve consumer access to retail electric and natural gas usage and cost information. Directs the Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to jointly issue model data-sharing standards and policies for consumer access to meter and usage data and to consult utilities, state officials, privacy and consumer advocates, and other stakeholders before issuing the guidelines. Establishes technical definitions for meters, meter platforms, retail electric and natural gas information, and related terms to guide implementation. Sets a 180-day deadline for DOE and FERC to develop model standards and integrates those standards into states' guideline considerations for their energy plans and programs aimed at efficiency and demand response adoption.